The Baruch College School of Public Affairs Forms New Advisory Board

NEW YORK, NY, March 30, 2011 --The Dean of the Baruch College School of Public Affairs, David Birdsell, recently announced the formation of a new advisory board which held their inaugural meeting earlier this month. The purpose of the board, which will meet biannually, will be to raise awareness of the School among key public policy members; to help secure the resources needed to fulfill its mission; and to advise the Dean on emerging trends in the public sector.

"It is deeply gratifying to have the assistance and insight of this extraordinarily talented group of people,” said Dean David Birdsell. “Our board members have done the kinds of things to which our students aspire; their work on behalf of the School of Public Affairs is an inspiration not only to me, but to everyone who comes to the College to learn more about public service."

The advisory board has drawn its membership from a wide range of distinguished men and women who have achieved distinction in their professional careers and in their commitment to public service. The board currently includes Baruch College alumni and non-alumni members, and will over time draw membership from all of the areas served by the School and its programs.

Current Members include:

Michael Lewan, Chair (Baruch BBA '72) - Principal in Government Law and Strategies at Brown Rudnick

John Banks (Baruch MPA '92) - Vice President of Government Relations for Con Edison

Barbara Fife - Former Director of External Affairs at Baruch College's School of Public Affairs, and Co-Director of the School's Center for Innovation and Leadership in Government

Lewis Friedman - Managing Partner of Eagles Nest Capital, LLC

Amy Hagedorn (Baruch BBA '58) - Founder of Sustainable Long Island and serves on the board of advisors of the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF), a division of the New York Community Trust

Larry Pressler - Former US Senator from South Dakota and named Commissioner for the United States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad by President Barack Obama

Sandra Wasserman (Baruch BBA '55) - Member of the Baruch College Fund and Chairperson of The Bert and Sandra Wasserman Foundation

Susanna Zwerling - Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Verizon New York

The mission of Baruch College's School of Public Affairs is to enhance the performance of governmental and nonprofit institutions in New York and the nation in the interest of effective and equitable public service and public policy in a diverse society. Using insights from theory, research, and practice, the School is a multidisciplinary community of scholars engaged in teaching, research, and outreach to achieve this mission. The School places special emphasis on educating responsive and accountable leaders who combine managerial expertise, creative and critical thinking, and rigorous analysis in the formation and execution of public policy. It also serves as a site for debate and reflection on issues of public importance to New York and the world beyond.